Collaborative Visions is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2010 to build collaborative partnerships that empower Northern New Mexico's rural communities to be vibrant, healthy, sustainable and resilient. In 2018 Collaborative Visions initiated “The Mora Empowerment Project” to collectively include county commissioners and other elected officials, business owners, and a network of c
ommitted and connected community members and organization to work together toward a future that improves economic opportunity, quality of life, and environmental preservation, providing a base to retain or welcome back young adults and to integrate newer residents. There are four components to the project that will help to support current and future projects:
Engaged Community -
A project that has the potential of a significant level of impact must be understood and considered by everyone. Understanding what matters to community members, why they chose to live here and what might cause them to leave is foundational to building a system that operates to preserve and protect the community’s core values while simultaneously delivering new opportunities.
• Community Heart and Soul - Inclusive of all residents and partners as a way to empower all residents to shape the future of their community and uphold the unique character of Mora.
• Resource Harvesting System – a subset of the Resource Connect system that is physical in nature and specific to obtaining financial resources and Technical Assistance for all community projects. Project oversight, budget accounting and reporting are also RHS functions.
• Productivity Commons (HUB) – a physical location as well as a network of services, resources, tools, and equipment available to local businesses and remote workers that enhances their value to external contractors and/or employers and advantages them when competing for external opportunities.
• Community Macro Data System – a data system comprising everything knowable about a geographically defined place, its capitals and its people. Analytics tools process the data into information to empower the best possible decision making for better community outcomes. Historical archives of research, project outcomes, family histories, documents, etc. - all remain living and accessible to contribute value to planning and decision making.
. The ultimate objective is to bring opportunities to the community that were unavailable because of its remote location. Full community engagement is required to assure development and operation of systems that will add value to the community while protecting the core community values.
